This work of fiction, titled The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth J. Duncan, is a mystery novel set in a picturesque village in North Wales. The story follows Penny Brannigan, a Canadian expatriate and manicure salon owner who becomes entangled in a criminal investigation following the disappearance of a bride, Meg Wynne Thompson. After Penny notices that a friend’s coffin is sitting unusually high in its grave, she correctly suspects that the bride’s body has been hidden underneath. The narrative details the subsequent police investigation led by DCI Gareth Davies, which uncovers a plot involving identity deception and a drug operation. Ultimately, the evidence reveals that the groom's best man, David Williams, was responsible for the murder. Through the use of old school notebooks and accidental photographs, Penny helps the authorities secure an arrest and eventually inherits her late friend's cottage.